Ping Tom Memorial Park 4.59

Ping Tom Memorial Park is a 17.24acre public urban park in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood, in South Side, Chicago. It is part of the Chicago Park District (CPD).Located on the south bank of the Chicago River, the park is divided into three sections by a Santa Fe rail track and 18th Street. Currently, only development in the area south of 18th Street has been completed. It was designed by Ernest C. Wong of Site Design Group and features a pagoda-style pavilion, bamboo gardens, and a playground. The park is named in honor of prominent Chinatown businessman and civic leader Ping Tom; a bronze bust of Tom is installed near the park's pavilion.HistoryIn 1962, the construction preparations for the Dan Ryan Expressway demolished the only two parks in the Chinatown area (Hardin Square and Stanford Park). Sun Yat-sen Playlot Park, a small, 1/3acre park, was created in the mid-1970s, however, the community wanted a larger open park space.A private real estate firm formed by Ping Tom, then purchased a former 32acre rail yard in 1989. After construction of Chinatown Square began on this property, the CPD purchased approximately 6acre of unused land along the Chicago River in 1991, along with an additional 6acre that extended along the river, north of 18th Street.